Erythranthe norrisii

Annuals, fibrous-rooted or filiform-taprooted. Stems ascending to erect-ascending, geniculate at nodes, usually branched from proximal nodes, 2–15(–25) cm, villous-glandular. Leaves basal and cauline; petiole 5–10(–15) mm; blade palmately 3–5-veined, sometimes with 1–3 distal vein pairs diverging pinnately, elliptic to elliptic-obovate, 20–35 × 10–20 mm, base usually attenuate, margins subentire to distally denticulate, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces villous-glandular. Flowers herkogamous, 1–5, from medial to distal nodes. Fruiting pedicels 20–35(–50) mm, villous-glandular. Fruiting calyces red-dotted, campanulate, weakly inflated, 4–6 mm, margins distinctly toothed or lobed, villous-glandular, ribs rounded-thickened, lobes pronounced, erect, often incurved, linear-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, apex rounded to blunt. Corollas yellow, base of each lobe with a prominent maroon splotch, abaxial limb with white patch at 2 sinus bases, weakly bilaterally or radially symmetric, weakly bilabiate or regular; tube-throat cylindric-funnelform, 12–16 mm, exserted beyond calyx margin; limb expanded 15–30 mm, lobes oblong-obovate to orbicular-obovate, apex rounded-truncate. Styles glabrous. Anthers included, glabrous. Capsules usually slightly exserted, 4–6 mm. 2n = 32.

Phenology: Flowering Mar–May.
Habitat: Steep marble outcrops in soil pockets, moss covered marble and quartzite ledges, cracks, fractures, weathered faces, chamise chaparral or blue oak woodlands.
Elevation: 300–1300 m.

Calif.

Discussion

Erythranthe norrisii is known only from the Kaweah River drainage; most populations are in Sequoia National Park in Tulare County. The species is characterized by its short-petiolate leaves with attenuate bases, very large corollas with red splotches at the base of each lobe and two white patches on the abaxial limb, and very short, purple-dotted calyces with rounded-thickened ribs and linear-oblong lobes incurved in fruit. The capsules often are slightly exserted.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa